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Sometimes it seems like every email or letter you get from a campaign is a fundraising solicitation. And yes, we send plenty of those (and are paying off!). But we also think it is important to share our campaign's progress, our goals, and our plans for moving forward. Here is a year-end update; expect more like these every few months.
MEMORANDUM
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Colin Van Ostern, Campaign Manager
DATE: January 6, 2009 ___________________________________
In 2009, Kuster for Congress demonstrated (1) real, sustained fundraising strength, (2) broad and unparalleled grassroots support across the district and the full political spectrum, and (3) leadership in discussing the issues facing our state and country in the 2010 elections. Ann McLane Kuster's deep ties around the state, her experience, and her knowledge and passion on the issues has allowed us to lay an unusually strong foundation for this campaign as we move into 2010.
Here is a short memo to update you on our progress.
"Team Kuster's campaign arc has been pitch perfect so far in just about every respect. Really quite impressive from a campaign perspective . . .Zero missteps, lots of attention to the little things, no drama." - Dean Barker, Managing editor, www.BlueHampshire.com, 12/17/2009
FUNDRAISING STRENGTH
I'm happy to tell you that in 2009, our campaign raised $550,000 since Annie joined the race last summer, giving us ample resources to mount a very competitive campaign and meet our campaign plan. With a big number like that it is easy to focus on just the bottom line, but I think the details tell the story - and it is a story of a campaign built soundly on grassroots supporters all across the district. Our financial support is broad, with roughly 1,200 individual donors. It is local, with more than 850 of those from New Hampshire - one of the highest percentages of any campaign in the state. It is widespread, with donors in more than 100 different towns in the Second Congressional district(!). And it is growing, with 400 brand-new donors in the fourth quarter of the year, which was also our strongest fundraising quarter (we raised approx. $206,000 in Q4).
GRASSROOTS SUPPORT
In September, we set a goal of recruiting 500 members to our Grassroots for Kuster group by the end of the year. In fact, we soared past that goal in late October, adding hundreds of new members beyond the 500 mark, in every corner of the district. Our campaign is building the grassroots team needed to win in every one of the district's regions, from the southern tier to the Canadian border. We have won the support of dozens of NH legislators and prominent community leaders like business owners, mayors and former mayors. In November, our effort got a huge shot in the arm with our endorsement by NARAL, whose 3,000+ members of NARAL Pro Choice New Hampshire will be mobilized to work to help elect Ann McLane Kuster. Most importantly, however, is the breadth and diversity of this support. Annie is backed by prominent progressives like Stonyfield CEO Gary & Meg Hirshberg of Concord, moderates like 2008 DNC Delegate Mike Atkins, Independents like Rear Admiral [ret.] John Hutson, Dean of Franklin Pierce Law School, and open-minded Republicans like Peter Powell of Lancaster, whose father served as Republican Governor of the state. (For more information, see "Is Ann Kuster a Uniquely Unifying Candidate?" by the editor of Blue Hampshire, the state's leading progressive blog).
ISSUES & OUTREACH
This week, we went live with a new website, at www.kusterforcongress.com, with expanded issue areas on Jobs & the Economy, Health Care Reform, Afghanistan, and Equal Rights, Civil Rights, and Women's Issues. Annie is engaging in an aggressive schedule of traveling around the district and speaking at dozens of house parties, meet & greets, and local Democratic committees where she has regularly engaged in spirited discussions about issues ranging from Afghanistan and health care to FCC regulations and nuclear waste disposal. Annie has been a leader in the statewide issues debate (ie, "Kuster Was Against the Stupak Amendment Before it Was Cool", NHPoliticalReport), helping to drive the agenda in both Washington and New Hampshire. She has won praise for her thoughtful analysis of the President's strategy in Afghanistan and her outspoken advocacy for keeping a strong public option in the health care reform bill. In addition, she has been meeting privately with policy advisers on issues such as military readiness and counter-terrorism, job-creation and tax policy, and renewable energy prospects here in New Hampshire.
In sum, we are entering 2010 with a rock-solid campaign built on a candidate with deep ties around the state and a clear vision for moving our country forward. There is no question that our campaign will face new challenges in the coming year. Former GOP Congressman Charlie Bass is already camped out in Washington raising money from powerful friends, and 2008 GOP nominee Jennifer Horn is actively courting the tea party activists. Through much of this campaign we likely will not be the campaign with the biggest bank account, but we will be the one with the most grassroots support across the state, and the one with the most votes on November 2, 2010.
PS - This campaign is built on your support. Please visit our new website and use our new tool to send a note of support to your friends. Follow our campaign on Facebook or Twitter. Sign-up to volunteer or to officially endorse Annie as a member of "Grassroots for Kuster". We are where we are today because so many of you have made this campaign yours - please take a few minutes today to help us expand our reach!
